Fluid-pressure motor and controlling mechanism therefor.



W. H. GAHALL.

FLUID PRESSURE MOTOR AND CONTROLLING MECHANISM THEREFOR.

APPLICATION FILED MAY 3, 1909.

976,983. I Patented N0v.29, 1910.

4 SHEETS-SHEET 1.

$1M. final? W W. H. CAHALL. FLUID PRESSURE MOTOR AND CONTROLLING MECHANISM THEREFOR.

APPLICATION FILED MAY 8. 1909.

Patented Nov. 29, 1910.

4 SHEETS-SHEET Z.

W. H. UAHALL.

FLUID PRESSURE MOTOR AND CONTROLLING MECHANISM THEREFOR.

APPLIOATION FILED MAY 8. 1909.

976,983. Patented Nov. 29, 1910.

4 SHEETS-SHEET 3. 7

W. H. CAHALL. FLUID PRESSURE MOTOR AND CONTROLLING MECHANISM THEREFOR.

APPLICATION FILED MAY 8, 1909.

976,983. Patented Nov. 29, 1910.

4 SHEETS-SHEET 4.

' {44AM WM M M W W)QM% l motors employed for automatically shifting GEFICE.

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'rnnm -rnnssunn moron AND CONTROLLING nncnamsnrnnnnron.

pe i s e n 1 Patented Nov. 29. 1910.

. llpplication'file d m a, 1 09. Serial man a).

To all whom itmayw'rwern:

Be. it knownthat I I, WILLIAM .H; ICAHALL, a citizen of the United. States, and a resident of Chicago, county of Cook, and State of Illinois, have invented certain new and useful Improvements .in Fluid-Pressure Motors and Controlling Mechanism There: for, of which the tion. a

' The invention relates to fluid pressure a 132m at the required time.

- ore particularly, the invention relates to manually operated controlling mechanism for such fluid pressure motors.

While the invention may be used for other purposes, it is more particularly applicable as a shifter for the clutch or starting mechanism-of a punching, shearing or forging machine whichis set in motion by the operator after he has placed the work in proper relation thereto. i

The invention seeks to provide an improved motor mechanism of this type, together with .a portable controlling device for the motor which can be located at any.

desired point by the operator,'and thus convenient ly manipulated by him while he is holding the work in proper position to be acted upon by the machine.

Heretofore, the clutch mechanism ofpunching, forging and shearing machinery has usually been controlled by a tripping foot lever, but the operator, while he is shifting the-work to be acted upon by the machine, is necessarily often ,in a position where he cannot readily reach the foot lever.

The present invention rovides' a fluid pressure motor forcontrol ing the shift of the clutch mechanism, together witha portable valve for controlling the operation of the motor and which can be located at any desired point within easy reach of the operator. With these and other objects in view, the

- invention consists in the features of improvement hereinafter set forth, illustrated 1n the accompanying drawings and mor particularly pointed out in the appended claims.

In the drawings, Figure 1 tan view in side elevation of a punching machine with the improved controlling mechanism applied thereto. Fig. 2' is a (partial, similar view illustrating a lnodifie form; of confollowing is a specificabeneath the punch trolling'valve. Fig. 3 is a view in elevation of the upperportion of the motor :cylinder. Flg. 4 is a view in longitudinal section of the motor cylinder. Fig. 5 is an inverted plan view thereof. Fig, 6 is a .cross sectionon'the line 6-6 of Fig. 4. Figs. 7 and 8 are sectlons of the controlling valve shown in Fig. 1 wlth the valve shown in different positions. Fig. 9 is a lan view of one-half of the controlling va ve shown in Figs. 7 and 8. Figs. 10, 11 and 12- are detail sections on the lines 10-10, 1111 and 12-12 respectively of Fig. 7. Fig. l3'is a longitudinal section of the controlling valve as shown in Fig. 2. Fig. 14 is a plan view thereof with partsshown in section on the line 14-14: of Fig. 13. Figs. 15, 1oand 17 are detail sections on the lines 15-15, 16-16 and 17- 17 of Fig.13.

The invention is shown applied to a punching machine. -This machine is of usual form and comprises a frame 1 having a suitable anvil 2 on its lower portion and a reciprocating head-'3 carrying a punch 4 on its upper portion. The head 3 is driven from a shaft 5 journaled in the upper portion of the machine. A large gear 6 loosely mounted on this shaft meshes with a pinion 7 on a main drive shaft 8 journaled in the lower I portion of the machine frame. This shaft is connected to a suitable source' of power through the medium of tight and loose pulleys 9 thereon or in any other suitable manner. A sliding clutch member 10 is keyed to the shaft5 and is provided" with lugs or teeth which are arranged to interlock with similar lugs or teeth upon the hub of the gear 6. The clutch member 10 is shifted by a bell-crank 11 pivoted on the frame and connected to a foot-pedal '12 by a link 13'. The footedal or lever is pivoted on the frame and, in the form shown, a spring 14 extends between the forward end of the foot lever and a lu on the" frame. This spring normally ho ds the forward end of the foot lever uplifted and the clutch member 10 out of engagement'with the gear 6, In the ordinary practiee, the operator ad usts his work in the proper position upon the anvil 2 and 4=and then sets the machine in operation to shift the punch by depressing the forward end of the foot lever to throw the clutch member 10 into engagement with the gear 6 and thus drive the shaft. Sand reciprocating head 3. It often .chine.

In accordance'with the present invention,

the clutch member 10 is shifted by a fluid pressure motor comprising a cylinder 15. This cylinder is mounted upon the side of the frame 1 by a clamp comprisin two members 16 that are bolted to the'mac me frame.

These clamp members encircle the cylinderand are gripped-thereon by'a bolt 17 extending through .lugs 18 on the clamp members. The cyl nder is provided with a. pis-- ton l9 and a piston rod 20 which projects through the upper end of the cylinder, and a forked extension 21 having a sleeve-like lower end portion 22 fitslover the u per end of the piston-rod .and is connects thereto by a bolt 23. .The forked extension engages an arm '24. (see Fig. 1,) upon the link The piston. and pistonrod are shifted positively back and forth by air or other suitable fluid under pressure and the forked extension 21 can be connected to the arm 24 by a pivot pin or bolt 25, as shown 1n Fig. 1, to positively shift the clutch member 10 to .operative position and back to neutral position. In some cases, the forked extens1on 21 will merely have a one-way engagement with the arm 24:, so that the fluid pressure motor will merely shiftthe clutch member 10 to its operative position and the clutch will be returned to neutral position in any suitable manner, as, for example, by means of the spring 14: on the foot-lever 12.

While any suitable motorl-cylinder can be employed, the preferred form is illustrated in Figs. 3 to 6 inclusive. In this form, the. piston 19 is snugly fitted withln the cylinder and the piston rod 20, formed in piece therewith, is only slightly smaller in diameter and snugly fits the reduced portion of the bore of the cylinder at the'upper end thereof. This arrangement leaves a narrow, annular space 26 between the cylindrical surfaces of the piston rod and cylinder and between the annular shoulders 27 and 28 thereon. The piston 19 rests upon a plug 29 seated within the lower end of the cylinderand held in place by a screw-plug 30 threaded into the cylinder and provided on its outer face with a lug 31 which is square or otherwise suitably shaped to receive a wrench. The lower end ofthe piston is provided with an annular portion 32 and the plug 29 is provided with a reduced portion 33 which fits within the annular portion of the piston.

A supply pipe 34 for compressed air. or other fluid under pressure, is connected to the cylinder and communicates with the annular space 26 (see Figs. 1 and 4). The end plugs 29 and 30 are provided with -co1n municating passages 35 and 36 which open into the cylinder beneath the piston and which communicate with a coupling pipe'37 fixed inthe end of the lug 31 on the plug 30. The supply pipe 34 is provided with a screening device indicated at 38 in Fig. 1 andwith a. coupling pipe 39.' The coupling pipes 37 and 39 are connected by flexible pipes 10 and 41 to the controlling valve. The space 26 above the piston is always in communication with the source of supply piston. The area of the lower end of the piston is much greater than that of the annular shoulder-27 which forms its upper face, sothat the piston and ,piston rod are then shifted. to throw theclutch member 10 to operative" position, the air in the space 26 being forced through. the pipe .34. As the piston reaches the upper end of its stroke, it closes the port leading to the pipe 34, so that the air remaining in the space 26 1S compressed between the shoulders 27 and 28 to cushion the upstroke of the piston and prevent injury of the parts bythe striking of the shoulder 27 on the shoulder 28. The air compressed in the upper end .of the space 26 serves to initially force the piston back to neutral position as soo 1 as the lower end of the cylinder is again pfiaced in communication with the exhaust by means of the controlling valve. lrVhen the piston again uncovers the port leading to the supply pipe 34, compressed air is admitted to the space 26 and the piston is forced back and is held in neutral position by the pressure of the air upon the shoulder 27, the air below the piston being forced out through the passages 35 and 36, coupling pipe 37 and flexible pipe 40. As the piston approaches the end of its return movement, the annular portion 32 thereof enters the space between the cylinder wall and the portion 33 of the plug 29, so that a certain amount of air is caught in this space and compressed to cushion the return stroke of the piston. This prevents the piston from striking sharply upon the plug 29 and thus saves the parts from injury. The surfaces tion 33 of the plug 29 are nicely finished and fitted. 'To further prevent injury to these finished faces, the edges thereof are cut away, as shown. As stated, the arm'24 may have a one-way connection with the forked extension 21 and be returned to normal position independently thereof. To prevent strain on the pin 23 and the working parts of-th motor cylinder when the arm 24 is of the piston, piston rod, cylinder and por- 'rod from damage-when it is-projected from the cylinder. a sleeve 44 is fixed to the piston rod and r'eciprocatesoverthe upper end of the cylinder. This sleeve is provided with an annular end wall 45 having a flange 46' and it is secured to'the piston rod by a pin 47 which extendstangentially through the fiange: 46 and into an annular groove 48 formed in the surface of the piston rod. The annular end wall 45 of the sleeve also engages a shoulder 48 formed on. the piston rod. At one portion, the protecting sleeve 44 is provided with a longitudinal slot throu h which the air supply pipe 34 and an oi pipe 50 extend. -The connection of the protectorsleeve with the'pi'ston rod is such as to permit the relative rotation of the latter with reference to the sleeve and cylinder, so that, in applying the device to machines already in use, the forkedextension 21 may be adjusted to any desired powith that of the other. supply of compressed air should fail or if sit-ion to properly engage the clutch shift-- ing parts. Moreover, the motor cylinder itself can be adjusted to any desired position within the supporting clamp member 16, so that the-pipes 34 and 50 can lead to the cylinderin any convenientdirection.

The pipe 50 leads from an oil-cup 51 (see Fig. 1) and opens into an annular groove 52 formed in the face of the bore of the cylinder above the shoulder 28. The faces of the piston, piston rod and cylinder are provided with grooves 53 which retain the oil and prevent the leaking of the air from one to the other side of the piston and fromthe space 26 through the upper end of the cylinder. The plug 29 in the lower end of the cylinder, can be removed and a shorter or longer plug substituted theret'm' to thereby vary the stroke of the piston to suit different conditions. The motor cylinder is thus adapted for use in connection with many different kinds of machines and-can readily be applied to. machinesalready in use. When it is 50 applied, the usual foot lever 12 or other suitable controlling means are preferably retained as illustrated, and either the motor cylinder or the foot lever can be employed for shifting the'clutch, since the operation qf either of thesedevices does not interfere Moreover, if the the motor mechanism should get out of operation, the foot-lever mechanism could still "in Figs. 7 to 12 inclusive. It comprises-a valve casing 54 having.,a cylindricalbore within which a cylindrical sliding valve 55 is fitted. The valve is provided with an up- ..per, reduced end portion or stem 56, and a cap 57 threaded upon the upper, reduced end of the valve casing, limits the upward movement of the valve. The lower end of the valve casing is closed by abottom wall 58 and the interior of the valve 55 and stem 56 are cored out as shown, to form a chamber for holding lubricating materials A coiled spring 59, arranged within the valve casing and valve, is seated, at its lower end, in a recess 60 formed in the'bot-tom wall 58 of the valve casing and the upper end of the spring engages a shoulder 61 at the upper portion of the valve 55 to hold the latter normally in its uppermost positionin engagement with the cap 57, as shown in Fig. '8. The valve seat or bore of the valve casing 54 is provided with three narrow, annular grooves 62, 63 and. 64 spaced apart as shown, and the cylindrical face of the valve 55 is provided with an annular. groove 65 of sufiicient width to connect the intermediate groove 63 either with the exhaust groove 62- or inlet groove 64. A series of radial ports 66 communicate with the exhaust groove 62 and tangential ports'or passages 67 and 68 communicate with the annular grooves 63 and 64. Coupling pipes 69 and 70 are threadedinto the valve casing and communicate with the ports 67 and 68, as shown in Figs. 11 and 12, and these. pipes are connected respectively by the flexible pipes 40 and 41 to the motor cylinder and to the supply pipe 34.

The spring 59 normally holds the valve in a neutral position shown in Fig. 8, so that the lower end of the motor cylinder is placed in communication with the exhaust passagesof the valve. By depressing the valve, the lower .end of the motor cylinder is placed in communication with the source of supply of compressed air or other fluid under pressure and is operated as above described. When pressure on the valve is relieved, the spring 59 of course restores it to its normal, neutralposition and the piston of the motor cylinder is then, as previously described, returned to its normal, neutral position;

The valve casing 54 in the forms shown in Figs. 7 to 12- inclusive, is adapted to be removably mounted in a .su'itable seat 71 formed in a cast metal shoe 72 that, as shown in Fig. 1, can be placed on the floor in any suitable or convenient position. The valve can be readily removed from the shoe 72 for lubricating, repairs or the like, but is securely held in position when placed in the seat 71 of the shoe. The upper end of the valve stem 56 is closed bya screw 73 which can be removed to the interior of the casing with lubricatingmaterial. A head or push-button 74 is removably threaded upon the stem 56 and is adapted'to be engaged by the foot of the operator to shift the valve to operative position.- A ring'guide or footrest 75 surrounds the foot button 74 and is provided with depending supporting lugs 76 which are riveted to the shoe 72. This ring guide or footrrest also acts to protect the valve from injury. This'form of valve can be placed in any convenient position on the floor and be conveniently operated-by any were not provided, air under pressure would accumulate in the lubrlcant chamber and pi'event the ready operation of the valve. oreover, by means of a vent tube, the pres? sure in the lubricant chamber is always that ofthe atmosphere and the construction of the valve as a whole is such that the pressure thereon is balanced, so that the only resistance which must be overcome by the operator in shifting the valve, is that of the spring 59, which can be quite light to permit easy operation of the'valve.

The form of controlling valve shown in Fig. 2, and in detail in Figs. 13 to 17. inclusive, is designed to be held iii-the operators hand. The ports and passages of this valve are similar to those described and are similarly numbered, except that the coupling pipe 69' and 70 which communicate with the grooves 63 and 64:, extend in axial direction through the bottom of the valve casing 54 instead of through the sidewall thereof.

. The valve casing 54 and valve 55'-are similar to the corresponding parts of the foot valve, except that they are somewhat longer, as shown in Fig. 13. The cap plate 57 which is threaded upon the upper end of the casing 54', is provided with an elliptical handle 79 having a central sleeve 80 through which the valve stem 56 extends. flhe push button 74 on the upper end of the valve stem 56', is somewhat smaller than that shown in Figs. 7 to 9 inclusive, but the remaining parts are alike and are similarly numbered. Both forms of valves are balanced and the contacting surfaces are nicely finished and cut away or relieved at their edges to prevent injury thereto.

With the present improved operating motor and portable controlling valve, the operator can be in the most advantageous posit1on for ad ust1ng h1s work to a punching, shearing or like machine and, at the same time, can instantly engage the clutch to set the machine in operat onwhen the work is in proper position. With the old stationary trip-lever, an additional helper isoften required for tripping the-clutch- With punching, shearing machines and the. like, the clutch is often automatic in operation. That is to say, the operator merely shifts the clutch to operative position and .it is then held by suitable parts in operative position and automatically returned. to neutral position after the machine has performed a certain predetermined movement, usually one revolution of the operating shaft. In other forms, the clutch is'not automatic and the operator must. holdit, in engagement by holding the depressing foot-lever depressed until the machine has made the desired number of. operations. The present improvement is applicable to either form of clutch -mechanism.. With 'the automatic form, the

piston of the fluid pressure motor would merely have a one-way en agement with the clutch shifting part and the operatorwould simply momentarily hold the controlling valve in shifted position. In a non-auto-- matic type of clutch, the operator would hold the-controlling valve in shifted'position to hold the clutch member in engaged position until the desired operation had been performed. In this form, the pistonof the motor cylinder .could be connected to posi- .tively shift the clutch back and forth, or it could have a one-way engagement with the clutch shifting part and the clutch then re turned to neutral position by a spring.

It is obvious that the improved mechanlsm could be readily applied to machines now in use and that numerous changes can be made in the details set forth without departure from the essentials of the invention as defined in the claims.

I claim as my invention 1. The combination with a fluid pressure motor, of. a portable controlling device and flexible connections between said device and said motor,;said device being arranged to control the admission and exhaust of fluid under pressure to and'from said motor and comprising a cylinder. a sh-iftable part fitting said cylinder and having aprojecting stemwith a'push-button thereon, said part being spring-held in normal, neutral position, substantially as described.

2. The combination with a fluid pressure motor, of a portable valve casing, flexible pipes for connecting said casing to said motor and to a suitable source of supply, and

a shiftable valve in said "casing spring-held in normal, neutral position, said valve-in neutral ositlon being arranged to connect said mo or. cylinder to the exhaust and in may be manually shifted.

shifted position to the supply, substantially as described.

3. The combination with a motor cylinder, of a portable valve casing having inlet and exhaust ports and "an intermediate port, flexible pipes connecting said intermediate port and said inlet port to said motor cylinder and to a suitable sour'c'e of supply, ashiftable valve in said casing, and a spring for-holding the same in normal, neutral position, said valve being arranged to connect said intermediate port to said exhaust port when in normal, neutral position and, 'in' shifted position, to connect said intermediateport to said inlet. port, said valve having a stem projecting from said casing whereby it 4. The combination with a fluid pressure motor and a supply pipe for fluid under pressure, of a portable valve casing having inlet and exhaust ports and an intermediatfi port, flexible pipes connecting said casing t provided with a foot said supply pipe and to said motor and communicating respectively with said inlet port and said intermediate port, a slide valve in said casing, and a spring for holdingfsaid valve in neutral pos1tion, said valve'being arranged -to connect said intermediate and exhaust orts in neutral position and said intermediate and inlet ports in shifted position, and said valve having a projecting stem provided with a push-button, substantially as described.

5. The combination with a motor cylinder, a piston in said cylinder having an enlarged piston. rod, and a supply f-pipe communicating with the inner end 0 said cylinder, a portable valve casing having inlet and exhaust ports, flexible pipes connecting Said casing to the outer end ofsaid cylinder and to said supply vpipe, and a shiftable valve in said casing for alternately connecting the outer end of said c linder to said exhaust and said inlet ports, substantially as described; V I

6. The combination with a fluid pressure motor, of a portable shoe, a controlling device for said motor removably mounted on said shoe, a flexible pipe. connecting said controlling device and saidfmotor, said controlling device comprising a casing, a shifting art therein having a projecting stem .utton, and a ringshaped rest on said shoe surrounding said button, substantially as described.

7. The combination with a fluid pressure motor, of a portable shoe, a' valve casing having inlet and. exhaust orts removably mounted on said shoe, flexi ie pipes for conating said shifter, a portable controlling valve-for said motor, and flexible'pipes for connecting said-valve to'said motor and to a suitable source of supply, substantially as described.v

.9. In starting and stopping mechanism, the combination with a controlling clutch, of a manually operable shifter for said clutch, a motor. cylinder, a piston thereon arranged to shift said clutch, and a portable controlling device for said motor cylinder flexibly connected thereto, substantially as described.

10. In starting and stopping mechanism, the combination with a controlling clutch, of a manually operable shifter for said clutch, a motor cylinder, a piston therein having a yielding, lost-motion connection with said clutch shifter,-a portable controlling valve' for said motor cylinder, and flexible pipesconnecting said valve to said cylinder and to a sultable source of supply, substantially as described.

11. The combination with a fluid pressure motor and a suitable source of supply, of a portable valve casing having inlet and exhaust ports and a third port, ,a'valve in said casing having an external, manually, shiftable, operating member, said valve bein arranged in normal position to close said inlet port and connect said third port to said exhaust port, and in shifted position to close said exhaust port and connect said inlet ort to said third port, and a pair of flexib e pipes connected to said casin and communicating respectively with sai supply port and/said third port, the opposite.

ends of said pipes leading from ad acent pfixed points and communicating respectively with said source of supply and said motor,

substantially as describe WILLIAM H. CAHALL. 

